The past couple of months I’ve been trying something new. I wake up and say to myself, “Today is a great day.”
I received a phone call first thing in the morning from a loved one who asked, “what do I do today when I get sad and can’t hold back my tears?”
And we started talking. I explained to my loved one the wisdom in tears and sadness and that sometimes our feelings have to be felt to give space for joy and healing.
I also explained how in life we have to choose what path we want to reinforce. Do you want to reinforce the path of joy, gratitude, peace and blessing or do you want to reinforce the path of sadness, depression, anger and anxiety?
My loved one was quiet and replied, “I know, but the hard things are so hard right now. I feel so bad that I can’t choose the other path.”
And that is exactly the dilemma when we are human. The pain hurts and even when we know there are other options and things that we could be doing to help ourselves, sometimes we just can’t even if we want too.
When we hurt it isn’t easy to think our way out of our suffering; to look on the bright side; to feel grateful for our blessings, to move our body and sing and dance or to affirm ourself that we are good, loved and belong.
I explained that we have to do the smallest of things to feel better. It is the accumulation of these things that make a difference in our life.
But when you feel bad and the skies are grey that can be hard to believe or trust or have the energy to awaken inside. I have been there before in my own life.
Sometimes we just need a hope merchant. Someone who lends our strength when our loved one is down; who remembers their essential and innate goodness when they can’t feel it in themself; who has faith in the unfolding of their journey and who can accept that things are hard sometimes in life, but it’s not for a lack of trying.
In life sometimes we have to hang out in the painful feelings until the clouds pass and the inner sun shines again.
Sometimes we have to rouse the energy to feel better and fake it until we make it.
Regardless of what path we or our loved one is on, this is for sure . . . We are all doing the best that we can. If we could do better, we would.
And even though my day took on a completely different direction then what I had planned . . . It is still a great day!
Many blessings,
